Mungler Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 5 years ago we had some building work which involved alterations affecting the then existing boiler, which was an ideal Mexico that had been installed when the house was originally built and had never skipped a beat for 30 odd years. So, with prevailing green regulations we were given the good news that we would have to scrap our perfectly good and working boiler and install a super duper new eco condensing boiler. The plumber recommended and installed Valiant and it has been nothing but grief ever since. The worst bit is that we have just had the pump replaced for £600 about 2 months ago. The work was carried out by a mate and I just asked him to fix it - it was winter cold and I needed it working quick. I didn't quite realise the cost because at that level (£600 give or take the VAT) I would have bitten the bullet and had the lot ripped out and a new boiler put in. So, we wake up today and it's fritzed again. Anyone got any recommendations for a brand of boiler that works? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asa Bear Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 £600 for a pump on an EcoTec!?!. I'd be looking for a new mate. They're still the best boiler on the market. Get a Vaillant accredited installer to fit you an EcoTec plus now and they'll give you a 7 year warranty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonLuke Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 You already have one of the best but if going to change maybe look at Worcester Bosch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 (edited) £600 for a pump on an EcoTec!?!. I'd be looking for a new mate. They're still the best boiler on the market. Get a Vaillant accredited installer to fit you an EcoTec plus now and they'll give you a 7 year warranty. Just before you do that contact Vaillant (0844 7360049) and tell them of your woes, they may be interested if you can tell them when it was fitted and by whom! Good luck T.C. Oh, by the way DON'T call them VALIANT! Edited March 21, 2013 by TIGHTCHOKE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosd Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 I've had the EcoTec Plus 937 now for 4 years and has been great. From cold the house is toastie within 15 minutes, and my gas bills are almost halved compared to my last house which was aproximately half the size. Only regret I have is getting the all signing and dancing remote thermostat. That has been poop, but to be fair to Vailant they just keep replacing it....only 5 times so far!!! Cos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted March 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 Cheers chaps. I'm getting Valliant out for a sanity check. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 Cheers chaps. I'm getting Valliant out for a sanity check. Don't call them Valliant!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted March 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asa Bear Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 Don't bash this bunny. Vaillant after care service is pretty good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 A valiant effort Tightchoke but to no avail (iant). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asa Bear Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 A valiant effort Tightchoke but to no avail (iant). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Del T Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 On a par with vaillant are worcester bosch. Cdi range can't be beaten plus 5 years warranty. Our family firm have installed them religiously since the late 70s! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted March 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 Vaillant want the thick end of £280 just to come out. Back to Plan A. What's the consensus as to what a Bosch comparable will cost to buy and then have installed? Saying that, I fear that I have a long running problem - the radiators in the house are not all run as a daisy chain (ie. in series) but are run in mix between series and parallel so that the flow and return is a bit odd. It was a quirk of the construction of the house. Apparently this in turn makes it impossible to do a decent power flush according to my plumber. The old 1960's house radiators have all be replaced over time and I guess there's a lot of rubbish in the system - we did attempt a power flush and then had a magna clean fitted but without much joy - yes the magna clean picks up a lot of muck in the system but apparently not enough to save the pump. Re-doing the pipe work (floors up) is not an option. Oh bum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asa Bear Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 Re-doing the pipe work (floors up) is not an option. Oh bum. Suck it up then. If a repipe is out of the question your only option is to mains flush the system yourself (I'm not sold on power flushes anyway) doing each rad individually. I say yourself as it is extremely time consuming and could take days maybe even weeks. You may have to have a plumber call to start you off depending on your DIY abilities. PM me if interested in details. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonLuke Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 That call out of 280 should include all boiler parts required. Not much better admittedly but at least fixed fee if fault with boiler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 I think our Bosch was @£1400 last year or something like that running costs seem reasonable and no issues with it, I have a local bod who was very good and would probably give you an opinion if required. from experience what yours is doing is bunging up the heat exchanger which I had issues with at my last house, two filled up in 2 months the only solution i found was flushing a few times from the mains then adding this for a month drain down and add a decent level of inhibitor. http://www.screwfix.com/p/sentinel-x800-heavy-duty-sludge-remover-1ltr/84921 My inkling is changing your boiler may not be the answer, might be best to get the heat exchanger swapped assuming its full and try and sort what is causing it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asa Bear Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 I wouldn't leave X800 in for a month especially with an aluminium HX. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 a month was only from memory I have to say I just followed the instructions. Worked well and having mains flushed till clear what came out after the X800 was pretty severe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asa Bear Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 Yes Alex, X800 is excellent stuff. I just don't think my PL insurance could take leaving it in for too long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Kelly Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 No condensing boiler is going to do well strapped to a dirty system. Sounds like your heating system is the worst of both worlds with an old 1 pipe system having a two pipe system cobbled onto it at some point. It's probably an open vented system too, which just allows the system water more chances to get contaminated. You need to clean the system out thoroughly, powerflush as well as is possible, but probably fiirstly take off all the radiators and take them outside and run a hose through them to wash them out. Powerflush after that to clean the pipework and cylinder as much as possible, then fit a "magnaclean" type device to protect the boiler from future contamination. It's all going to cost a few quid and take time, but you have no other option if you want a reliable boiler. You may well find you end up needing a new heat exchanger for the boiler as well as the fine channels in an efficient boilers heat exchanger can be easily clogged. Getting modern boilers fitted cheaply is an expensive mistake. Preparation is everything to have a long lasting efficient system. I'd be tempted to get rid of the header tank and make the system into a sealed system as well, that helps to keep the water clean, but requires occasional topping up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 thats interesting as its supposed to not be corrosive to aluminium bits, I have to say I didn't have any issues but we did sell the house 6 months later it did however sort a recurring problem that sounds rather similar to this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloke Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 I had an old back boiler replaced with a vailant ecotech 3 years ago, on a mixed one pipe/2 pipe system, run on Calor, radiators drained/flushed, but not powerflushed, with a Magnaclean fitted to back things up. Economy wise, it has nearly reduced my bills by nearly 70% - great news, but in the last year have had to have 2 valves replaced, and despite magnaclean and various chemical addatives, have had some mysterious black sludge block an internal valve, total cost for all three callouts about £200, so not too bad. Overall very pleased with the boiler, considering that it was tacked on to a system fitted by the tea-maker to the spanner-holders assistant from the local steelworks plumbing dept, with less knowledge of plumbing than thas average giraffe, according to my plumber. Warms the house up fairly quickly too, considering it is a big old 1940s house. Hope you get your problems sorted out soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pegasus bridge Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 I would be tempted to take out British Gas 'homecare' - crica £30 a month and keep calling them out to sort it each time it dies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canis Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 mungler, Ther ideal mexico will be remembered fondfly by many of the members of the forum!. Boilers of that generation had litle in the way of electrical or moving mechanical parts so in essence there was an awful lot less to go wrong than your average modern boiler I know that you say replacing the pipework is't an option but if your system was 60's installed asnd the inside of the pipework is very dirty thern cleaning the pipwork is liable to expose pinhole leaks anyway! otherwise boilers falling over becaiuse the low water capacity heat exchangers have blocked and you will have a steady run of replacing the boiler every 5 years when the guarantee runs out . lots of embuggerance now or periodic embuggerance for evermore ! The only boiler better than a Vailiant is a Worcester Bosch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Kelly Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 I fit Vaillants all the time and would far rather fit and service them than Worcesters. I don't think Worcesters are particularly well designed, especially from a servicing point of view. They always seem to me to be like a mercedes, you open the bonnet and everything's buried and a ****** to get at. Vaillants you can easily get at all the components to service or replace. Reliability wise, I don't think there's anything between them, I definitely wouldn't say Worcesters are better in any way when they're working. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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